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Downhill World Cup Lošinj – Results

Round one of 2018 World Cup downhill racing is in the books. Here's who came out on top

Downhill World Cup Lošinj Croatia 2018
Downhill World Cup Lošinj Croatia 2018
Aaron Gwin on course at Lošinj Image: Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool

Aaron Gwin picked up the 2018 season with the same searing pace he ended the 2017 World Cup season with. YT Mob’s downhill star won the Lošinj, Croatia round by eight tenths of a second over fellow American Luca Shaw (Santa Cruz Syndicate). The first race of the year is always unpredictable and, while Gwin showed he’s as reliable as ever, some big names in downhill were bumped further down the results sheet. Intense Factory Racing’s Dean Lucas jumped up the ranks to finish third, while Sam Blenkinsop rode Norco’s new Arum HSP downhill bike, officially unveiled at Sea Otter the same weekend. A fifth place for Dakotah Norton (Unior / Devinci Factory Racing) made for three American’s on the first World Cup of the season.

Mark Wallace (Canyon Factory Racing) was the top ranked Canadian in elite Men, finishing 23rd, while Magnus Manson, hot off a win at the Port Angeles, Washington round of Pro GRT series racing, finished 30th, his best elite World Cup placing to date.

Downhill World Cup Lošinj, Croatia
Elite Men’s Podium – Downhill World Cup Lošinj, Croatia Image: Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
Downhill World Cup Lošinj Croatia 2018
Myriam Nicole at Downhill World Cup Lošinj, Croatia Image: Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool

On the Women’s side Myriam Nicole (Commencal Vallnord) claimed a huge 3.5 second win over Trek Factory Racing’s Rachel Atherton, with Tahnee Seagrave (Transition Bikes / Muc-Off Factory Racing) less than a second behind in third. The trio came into the weekend as favourites, and showed that they’re still ahead of much of the growing Women’s elite field, even if it’s not by nearly as much as in past season. Marine Cabirou (Voulvoul Racing) finished fourth in Lošinj, her best result so far in the elite Women’s ranks.

Downhill World Cup Lošinj Croatia 2018
Tahnee Seagrave finished 3rd on Sunday Image: Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool

One of the big stories of the weekend is surely Cécile Ravanel. The French enduro star has been dominant on the Enduro World Series for the last several seasons and made the decision to make a partial switch to race World Cup downhill events for 2018. Ravanel placed 10th at Val di Sole World Cup last season, her only World Cup appearance, but has spent much more time on her downhill bike over the winter. The extra time on the bike showed, and Ravanel claimed the final podium spot in downtown Lošinj. She will now have to decide whether to race in Olargues, France to defend her overall title in the EWS, she leads the sereis after two rounds in South America, or try to improve on her performance in Croatia.

Canada’s Miranda Miller, defending UCI downhill world champion, didn’t have a great opening weekend in Lošinj. The Specialized Factory Racing rider flatted in her qualifying run, and placed 11th on race day. The Squamish, B.C. racer will have to face down some deamons when the series resumes at Fort William, Soctland on June 2nd, a venue where she’s had less than perfect luck in the past.

Downhill World Cup Lošinj, Croatia
Elite Men’s Podium – Downhill World Cup Lošinj, Croatia Image: Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool

Canadian junior Lucas Cruz moved up one spot from his fifth place qualifying run on Saturday. The two time Canadian U17 national champion placed an impressive fourth in his first World Cup event racing in the junior category. Whistler’s Finn Iles has been one of the biggest names in the fiercely competitive junior category for the last several years, but graduated to elite racing for 2018’s downhill season. Cruz’s fourth place should reassure Canadian downhill fans that the country will continue to be well represented in the junior field.

Downhill World Cup Lošinj Croatia 2018
Junior Women’s winner Valentina Höll crossing the finish line in Croatia Image: Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool

In the junior Women’s race, Valentina Höll won with a blistering fast time of 2:50.093. YT Industries young Austrian phenom’s race run wasn’t just on pace to win the junior category. Höll’s time would have put her 6th in elite Women, just two seconds off Ravanel for the last spot on the podium.

Elite Men’s results – Downhill World Cup Lošinj, Croatia

Place Plate # Racer
Country
Team Age Time
1 1 GWIN Aaron
USA
THE YT MOB 31 00:02:19.193
2 13 SHAW Luca
USA
SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE 22 00:02:19.991
3 16 LUCAS Dean
AUS
INTENSE FACTORY RACING 23 00:02:20.328
4 19 BLENKINSOP Samuel
NZL
NORCO FACTORY RACING 30 00:02:21.107
5 34 NORTON Dakotah
USA
UNIOR/DEVINCI FACTORY RACING 26 00:02:21.821
6 7 MOIR Jack
AUS
INTENSE FACTORY RACING 24 00:02:22.081
7 9 GREENLAND Laurie
GBR
MS MONDRAKER TEAM 21 00:02:22.191
8 5 VERGIER Loris
FRA
SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE 22 00:02:22.271
9 2 BROSNAN Troy
AUS
CANYON FACTORY DOWNHILL TEAM 25 00:02:22.404
10 6 HART Danny
GBR
MADISON SARACEN FACTORY TEAM 27 00:02:22.965
11 32 PAYET Florent
FRA
VOULVOUL RACING 32 00:02:23.026
12 45 MULALLY Neko
USA
THE YT MOB 25 00:02:23.616
13 3 MINNAAR Greg
RSA
SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE 37 00:02:23.663
14 20 HARRISON Charlie
USA
INTENSE FACTORY RACING 21 00:02:24.696
15 41 SMITH Joseph
GBR
NORCO FACTORY RACING 28 00:02:24.874
16 12 GUTIERREZ VILLEGAS Marcelo
COL
GIANT FACTORY OFF-ROAD TEAM 28 00:02:24.994
17 58 THIRION Rémi
FRA
COMMENCAL / VALLNORD 28 00:02:25.012
18 29 WILLIAMSON Greg
GBR
UNNO FACTORY RACING 26 00:02:25.171
19 43 ATHERTON Gee
GBR
TREK FACTORY RACING DH 33 00:02:25.273
20 97 KOLB Andreas
AUT
22 00:02:25.597
21 11 PIERRON Amaury
FRA
COMMENCAL / VALLNORD 22 00:02:25.720
22 18 BRAYTON Adam
GBR
HOPE TECHNOLOGY 30 00:02:26.018
23 8 WALLACE Mark
CAN
CANYON FACTORY DOWNHILL TEAM 23 00:02:26.045
24 31 COULANGES Benoit
FRA
DORVAL AM 24 00:02:26.684
25 78 CARBALLO GONZALEZ Edgar
ESP
30 00:02:26.989
26 35 FAIRCLOUGH Brendan
GBR
SCOTT VELOSOLUTIONS 30 00:02:26.998
27 22 FEARON Connor
AUS
KONA FACTORY TEAM 24 00:02:27.027
28 37 FIGARET Faustin
FRA
RADON FACTORY DH RACING 25 00:02:27.247
29 40 MASTERS Edward
NZL
PIVOT FACTORY RACING 29 00:02:27.737
30 79 MANSON Magnus
CAN
20 00:02:27.829
31 14 ŽABJEK Jure
SLO
UNIOR/DEVINCI FACTORY RACING 23 00:02:27.893
32 88 DICKERSON Bryn
NZL
FS FUNN 27 00:02:27.959
33 91 FREW Jackson
AUS
20 00:02:28.122
34 84 VAUH Miran
SLO
36 00:02:28.203
35 38 REVELLI Loris
ITA
AB DEVINCI ITALY 21 00:02:28.391
36 96 SEAGRAVE Kaos
GBR
TRANSITION BIKES / MUC-OFF FACTORY RACING 19 00:02:28.522
37 56 NIEDERBERGER Noel
SUI
HIAG DATA – NS-BIKES FACTORY RACING 23 00:02:28.753
38 26 HATTON Charlie
GBR
TREK FACTORY RACING DH 20 00:02:29.011
39 30 VERNON Taylor
GBR
UNNO FACTORY RACING 22 00:02:29.022
40 110 DIPASQUALE Charly
FRA
28 00:02:29.999

Elite Women’s results – Downhill World Cup Lošinj, Croatia

Place Plate # Racer
Country
Team Age Time
1 1 NICOLE Myriam
FRA
COMMENCAL / VALLNORD 28 00:02:40.706
2 4 ATHERTON Rachel
GBR
TREK FACTORY RACING DH 31 00:02:44.265
3 2 SEAGRAVE Tahnee
GBR
TRANSITION BIKES / MUC-OFF FACTORY RACING 23 00:02:44.484
4 8 CABIROU Marine
FRA
VOULVOUL RACING 21 00:02:45.935
5 28 RAVANEL Cécile
FRA
37 00:02:48.416
6 14 HRASTNIK Monika
SLO
24 00:02:53.635
7 5 SIEGENTHALER Emilie
SUI
PIVOT FACTORY RACING 32 00:02:57.593
8 30 CURD Katy
GBR
29 00:02:57.849
9 13 SALAZAR Mariana
ESA
DORVAL AM 24 00:02:58.096
10 3 HANNAH Tracey
AUS
POLYGON UR 30 00:02:58.898
11 9 MILLER Miranda
CAN
SPECIALIZED GRAVITY 28 00:02:59.384
12 10 CAPPELLARI Carina
SUI
HIAG DATA – NS-BIKES FACTORY RACING 27 00:02:59.959
13 18 RÜBESAM Sandra
GER
30 00:03:02.582
14 17 WIDMANN Veronika
ITA
FS FUNN 25 00:03:05.117
15 25 BATTOLLA Eva
SUI
20 00:03:12.258
16 26 SCHWEMMER Kim
GER
25 00:03:25.299

Junior Men’s results – Downhill World Cup Lošinj, Croatia

Place Plate # Racer
Country
Team Age Time
1 15 DAPRELA Thibaut
FRA
COMMENCAL / VALLNORD 17 00:02:25.179
2 1 EDWARDS Kade
GBR
TREK FACTORY RACING DH 18 00:02:26.824
3 10 A’HERN Kye
AUS
CANYON FACTORY DOWNHILL TEAM 17 00:02:28.651
4 18 CRUZ Lucas
CAN
17 00:02:30.789
5 21 INIGUEZ Matteo
FRA
17 00:02:32.582
6 42 FORESTA Joseph
USA
GT FACTORY RACING 17 00:02:33.421
7 2 ROBBIE Sam
NZL
18 00:02:34.351
8 26 KLAUS Janosch
SUI
17 00:02:34.525
9 9 KERR Henry
GBR
PROPAIN DIRT SIXPACK 18 00:02:34.971
10 7 MAURER Simon
GER
SRAM YOUNG GUNS RACING 18 00:02:36.761

Junior Women’s results – Downhill World Cup Lošinj, Croatia

Place Plate # Racer
Country
Team Age Time
1 4 HÖLL Valentina
AUT
17 00:02:50.093
2 3 GIMENEZ Nastasia
FRA
17 00:03:02.614
3 8 JOHNSET Mille
NOR
17 00:03:06.871
4 1 ZIBASA Paula
LAT
SRAM YOUNG GUNS RACING 18 00:03:07.415
5 7 NEWKIRK Anna
USA
17 00:03:12.217
6 6 GOZZI Tina
FRA
17 00:03:43.082
7 2 GONCHEVA Viktoria
BUL
18 00:03:52.867
8 9 FAVOINO Carola Lucrezia
ITA
GRAVITALIA SQUADRA CORSE 17 00:04:51.026
9 5 BERNARD Mathilde
FRA
18 00:05:36.841